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Jan Melville

Bio

Selected Exhibitions

Collaborative Exhibition

Solo Exhibitions

Group Exhibitions

Artist Book Talks

Publications

Artwork

Printable CV

Bio

Jan Melville sees her role as an artist as that of a storyteller. Every image has a tale. Many images throughout the years have portrayed goddesses and women, often in boats, which arrive and depart in her work, at major changes in her life’s journey.
In 1982 she attended the National Art School in Sydney, completing a Post Certificate in Painting, and in 1990 a Certificate in Printmaking.
Since 2001 Jan has been teaching intaglio / relief printing at the Warringah Printmakers Studio, Sydney, NSW, and has been involved in a number of print exchanges in Montreal, North West America, Australia and the UK.
She is an invited member of the prestigious Sydney Printmakers.
For Jan the art of making her handmade artist books is a very personal one, often with goddesses and women a major recurring theme, alongside the naïve mythical tales.
In September 2007 Jan will be the International Artist in Residence with Cork Printmakers, Ireland. An earlier residency in 1997, was with resident artist Antonio Muratore at the Rigalto Print Studio in Umbria, Italy.
On a personal level, Jan has undertaken a number of trips to Bali, becoming ever more aware of this fascinating culture, resulting in a series of work based on Temple Rites – Ceremonial Masks.
After many years living and working in a studio in Balmain, she lives and works on Scotland Island in Pittwater, Sydney, NSW, where boats have become a way of life between her studio and the mainland.

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Selected Exhibitions

2007 - ‘She Who Dreams’ Walker Street Gallery, Dandenong, Victoria, National Art Competition selected finalist

2002 - MINIARE Biennale Internationale d’estampes miniatures de Montreal and Print Exchange – North West Print Council of America

2001 - CPM Print Awards Tweed River Regional Gallery, NSW

1999 - Illawarra Acquisitive Print Award, NSW and The IMB Alexander Berry Art Collection Print acquired for collection

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Collaborative Exhibition

2006 - Art Connections Guringai Festival, Sydney

2000 - "My Place, Your Place, Our Place" 4 Printmakers, Warringah Printmakers Studio, Sydney 4 Printmakers, Ernabella Arts, South Australia, Manly Art Gallery, Sydney

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Solo Exhibitions

2008 - 'Celebrate 20 years Printmaking" Balmain Watch House Gallery,Sydney

2007 - ‘Sacred Sheelas’ Tap Gallery, Darlinghurst, Sydney

2006 - "Mythical Images" Balmain Watch House, Sydney

2003 - "Recent Works" Balmain Watch House, Sydney

2002 - "Goddesses, Wombats & Flying Cows" Albert Street Gallery, Mittagong, NSW

1996 - "Palm Beach & Pittwater Bathers" Gallery/Restaurant Baby Enzo's, Sydney

1990 - "The Performers and Les Danseurs" Punch Gallery, Balmain, Sydney

1989 - "The Phantom of the Opera" Balmain Watch House, Sydney

1988 - "The Gods Have Descended" Balmain Watch House, Sydney

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Group Exhibitions

2008
"Sidney Nolan Trust Exhibition" Rodd Studios U.K.
"Ocean to Harbour" Warringah Printmakers Mosman Gallery Sydney
"Without Boundaries" Artist Book Exhibition Pine Street Creative Centre Sydney
Lessedra 7th International Print Exchange Bulgaria
'Sighting the Whale', Primrose Paper Arts. Mosman Gallery
Libris Artists Book Awards Artspace, Mackay, Queensland. Shortlisted

2007
SCU Artists’ Book Award Next Art Gallery, Lismore
‘Urban Animal’ Sydney Printmakers. Impressions on Paper Gallery, Canberra

2006
Australia Bookbinders Exhibition, Gallery 4A, Sydney
Libirs Artists' Book Awards, Artspace, Mackay, Queensland

2004
MINIARE: International Mini Print Exhibition, Manly Art Gallery, Sydney
"Barely Contained" Artist Book Exhibition, East Gippsland Art Gallery, Victoria
Australia - Enchanting Impressions, A Cultural Exchange Exhibition, Guangzhou, China

2003-2004
Affordable Art Show Warringah Printmakers Studio Fox Studios, Sydney
PG Printmakers Gallery Fitzroy, Melbourne

2003
"Scratch, Pull, Grind & Scrape" Sydney Printmakers Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney

2002
"Windows" Open Bite Printmakers Vistablue Art Gallery, North Sydney

1999-2004
Works on Show, Flying Pig Precinct Gallery, Berry, NSW

1999
"Images in Print" 3 Printmakers Global Gallery, Sydney
"Contemporary Printmakers" Soho Gallery, Sydney

1998-1999
Group Exhibition Michael Commerford Gallery, Bowral, NSW

1998
"The Sea, The Sun" North Sydney Fine Arts Gallery

1997
"International Women's Day Exhibition" Demeter Gallery, Sydney
"Selected works, Selected Artists" Studio 1 and Warringah Printmakers Studio, Canberra
"Women and Earth" Conference, St Petersburg, Russia
"Christmas Exhibition" North Sydney Fine Arts Gallery, Sydney

1996-2006
Warringah Printmakers Studio Annual Exhibition, Sydney
"Scotland Island Artists Exhibition" Pittwater Arts Festival, Sydney

1996
"Sydney International Art Society" Bondi Pavilion, Sydney

1995-1996
"Women's Images by Women" Studio Showcase, Sydney

1995
"From a Harbour City to the City of Rivers" Varart Galeria, Gyor, Hungary

1990
"A Mixed Exhibition" Eaglehawk Gallery, Sydney
Barry Stern Print Awards, Cell Block National Art School, Sydney

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Artist Book Talks

2006
"Creating an Artist Book", Manly Library, Sydney
"Myths, Siren & Goddess", Scotland Island Arts Festival, Sydney

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Publications

2008 - Imprint Print Council of Australia. Vol. 43. No. 1. 'Sacred Sheelas'
2006 - Imprint Print Council of Australia Vol. 41, No. 1, Book Review "Woman in Boats"
2000 - Imprint Print Council of Australia Vol. 35, No. 3. Reviews